We were deeply saddened to hear about the demise of the great democracy and freedom fighter and the friend of the Kurdish People, Nelson Mandela. We convey our heartfelt condolences to his family, peoples struggling against racism and colonialism, and particularly the people of South Africa. Nelson Mandela will always be remembered, his aspirations and his struggle will continue till the entire world is free.

Nelson Mandela is not only a milestone in the history-long struggle for freedom and democracy, but also an icon who has carried the struggle to a new stage, himself. He has not struggled only for the people of South Africa, but for freedom and democracy all over the world. He is an icon for the black people and for all Africa. The freedom and democracy struggle in Africa will go on, not falling behind the principles he has set. Real egalitarian and democracy struggle is already going on in South Africa.

Nelson Mandela proved what a principled struggler for freedom and democracy he was when he rejected the Ataturk Peace Award of Turkey. By giving this award Turkey had intended to disguise and, hence, run more easily its cultural genocide system on the Kurds. But Nelson Mandela rejected this award of a dirty and special war system, on the ground of the cultural genocide policies and practices against the Kurds. Consequently, he ran down Turkey’s intention to abuse the sacred notion of Peace for its dirty war. Therefore, the Kurds will always pay tribute to him.

The Kurds are the people who understand best Nelson Mandela’s struggle. The Kurdish People Leader’s 15 years of heavy solitary confinement on the Imrali Island has led to frequent Öcalan-Mandela comparisons. Of course, there are differences between Mandel’s struggle and the paradigmatic, philosophical, ideological and theoretical perspectives of Kurdistan struggle, set by Leader Ocalan. But they share their decisiveness and commitment to their cause as well as their insistence on going on with the struggle despite prison conditions. The Kurds have understood Mandela’s struggle very well and have regarded his struggle as a source of inspiration and a part of their struggle.

Mandela has proved that freedom cannot be achieved without paying its price. Kurds are marching to freedom and democratic life, paying the prices no other people in the world has ever paid. Raising their struggle and appreciating the prices they have paid, the Kurds will achieve a free and democratic life.

On the prison island of Imrali, Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s great struggle and ensuing values will further heighten the great freedom fighter Nelson Mandel’s aspiration for a free and democratic life and lead to the concomitant freedom of Ocalan and the Kurdish people.

EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR AFRIN

Life in Afrin

Weekly News Briefing

Jeremy Corbyn issues statement of support for the National Demo

Message from Jeremy Corbyn to Kurdish national demonstration in London:
“I’m sorry not to be able to be with you today, but I send a message of solidarity with today’s demonstration, and with the Kurdish people, under sustained attack across the Middle East.
The conflict in Syria has been the trigger for an onslaught against the Kurdish people, who are defending their autonomy and their rights.
We are watching closely the alarming events that have been unfolding in Turkey in recent weeks, including the killing of civilians and destruction of Kurdish homes.
Any negotiated settlement of the Syrian conflict must include peace and justice for the Kurds, including in Turkey. And the Turkish government needs as a matter of urgency to restart the peace process with the Kurds and respect the rights of all its people.
We call for an end to repression of the Kurds and justice for the Kurdish people throughout the Middle East.”

Destruction and Repression in North Kurdistan

Freedom for Ocalan!

On the 19th anniversary of his kidnap and imprisonment by Turkey, we renew our call for Abdullah Ocalan to be freed as part of a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.